Harry Zelenko

Born in New York City, I am a painter, illustrator, designer, writer, photographer and orchid nut. I am now retired, having run a succesful advertising, marketing and design office in New York since 1953 until retiring in 2000. I now spend much of my time in Ecuador where I grow many thousands of orchids (non-commercial). In 1997 I illustrated and published "Orchids: The Pictorial Encyclopedia of Oncidum" about a large group of orchids (the more recent second edition is still available from Amazon). In 2009, I wrote, designed and published "Orchids: Species of Peru", a 408 page definitive presentation of Peruvian orchids with more than 1,600 photographs by 42 photographers. I created and wrote a long-running monthly article, "Orchids in Art", for "Orchids" which is the magazine of the American Orchid Society, and I author articles on orchids for magazines in Sweden, Germany and South Africa. Some years ago I wrote "Vampire Blood Bank", a humorous novel (see Amazon reviews). I have recently completed a new novel, "Charisma". It explores how a man like the Reverend Jones was able to obtain a following of trusting misfits. But I haven't forsaken orchids as I am currently working an a book about Masdevallia and its segregates.